Improvement in condensers for steasvl-cars



A. G. BUZBY. Condensers for Steam Cars.

Patented May 26,1874.

UNITE STATES Pa'rnn'r Qrrron.

ALBERT e. BUZBY, or PHILADELPHIA, rnnnsrnvnnia.

IMPRQVEMENT IN CON DENSERS FQR STEAIW'CARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,353, dated May 26,1874; application filed January 10, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT G. BUZBY, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, haveinvented an Improvement in Condensers for Steam-Oars and Locomotives, ofwhich the following is a specification The object of my invention is toso dispose of the exhaust steam from the engine of astreet-ear that itwill not, by its noise, be a source of annoyance and danger as the cartraverses the street.

I attain this object by causing the exhaust steam to pass into aperforated casing, D, or a casing of wiregauze contained within a pipe,E, so placed on the roof of a car, as shown in Figure 1 of theaccompanying drawing, that the movement of the car will induce a currentof air to pass through the pipe, which air will condense the steam as itpasses through the perforations of the casing D, the water ofcondensation being carried off through a pipe, F, at the rear of thecar. The boiler A is placed on the arched roof of the car, where it canneither demand any increased length of earframe nor interfere with theordinary internal arrangement of the car. The roof, owing to its shape,has considerable supporting-strength, and this strength may be readilyincreased by a light and simple system of tie-rods. I propose to usepetroleum-burners in place of ordinary fuel, sufficient petroleum foreach trip of the car being easily stored in a suitable cistern of toosmall a capacity to interfer materially with the space occupied bypassengers or attendants. The exhaust steam is carried up through apipe, a, into the perforated easing D, and escapes through theperforations into the pipe E, the latter having a flaring mouth, (1,and, if necessary, openings at the sides, covered by hoods, into whichthe air is induced to enter rapidly by the movement of the car in thedirection of the arrow, Fig. 2. This current of air passing through thepipe E is brought into intimate contact with the subdivided jets ofsteam as they escape through the perforations of the casing D,

and tends to condense the steam, the water of condensation passing offthrough a pipe, F, either to the ground or to a cistern placed be neaththe car, from which the feed-water for the boiler may be taken; The mostimportant object of the perforated casing D, however, is to-prevent thedisagreeable noise resulting from the violent pulsations of exhauststeam, this noise being entirely obviated by discharging the saidexhaust steam into the abovementioned easing of wire-gauze or perforatedsheet meta-l. There may be two or more of these casings, D, surroundedby pipes, and placed on the top of the car, or at any other convenientpoint.

Theeondensin g apparatus is applicable not only to streetcars, but tolocomotives, steamcarriages, steam fire-engines, &c. I have found thatthe exterior pipe E may be dispensed with, for the fine subdivisions ofsteam escaping through the meshes of the casin g D will insurecondensation as long as the car is in motion; but I prefer thecombination of the said casing with an outer pipe, as insuring morecertain results, and as a means of carrying 011' the water ofcondensation.

I do not desire to claim, broadly, the pass in g of exhaust steamthrough wire-gauze; but

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with a steam ear orcarriage, of a perforated or wire-gauze casin g for receiving theexhaust steam.

2. The combination, in a steanrcar, of a perforated or wire-gauzeeasing, D, for receiving the exhaust steam, with a pipe through which acurrent of air is induced to pass by the movement of the car.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT G. BUZBY.

YVitnesses WM. A. STEEL, J. SI-IERBORNE SINGER.

